Machine for making metal tires.



LUQQA? *ii Patented Apr. 7, 1914 5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

E. EINFELDT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL TIRES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1909. RENEWED SEPT. 10. 1913.

1,09%,457. Patented Apr. '7, 19M

6 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

5111mm fo'c LVi-bmcaoco B. EINFELDT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL TIRES. AlPLIOATION FILED MINI-1.22, 1909.RENEWED SEPT. 10, 1913.

1,992,478.. Patented Apr. 7, 1914.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

E. EINPELDT. MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL TIRES. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22,1909. RENEWED SEPT. 10, 1913.

Patented Apr. 7, 191 4.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

c nfoc M E. EINFELDT. MACHINE FOR MAKING METAL TIRES. APPLIOATION FILEDJUNE 22, 1909. RENEWED SEPT. 10, 1913.

Patentd Apr. 7

5 SHEETBSHEET 6.

. same to its final and which will he 'tails of construction theclamping r on.

EMIL EINFELDT, OF. DAVENPCRT, IOWA,

G. WATSON FRENCH, NATHANIEL FRENCH, AND

DAVENPORT, IOWA, A

BY MESNE assrenmnnrs, T0 JOSEPH L. HECHT, ALL or ASSIGNOR,

Application filed June 22, 1909, Serial No. 503,737. Renewed SeptemberSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. '3', 1914i. 10,191? Serial No. 789,170.

To all whom it mayconcern Be it known that I, EMIL EINFELDT, of

Davenport, county of Scott, and State of Iowa, have invented a new anduseful Improvement in Machines for Making Metal Tires, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of the invention is to provide mechanism by means of whichwheel tires may be produced of truecircular form, and of the exactdiameter required; and the invention consists primarily of a clampingand holding device of improved form and construction, adapted to graspthe tire blank at a plurality of points after it has. been approximatelyshaped and before its ends are joined, and acting to bring thepredetermined true circular form; whereby the ends of the tire may becoimected together when so held, and its change of form or deformationafter connection prevented.

The invention consists also in combination with a clamping and holdingdevice of this character, of means for supporting and heating the openends of the tire, and means for actuating the clamping device to graspthe heated tire held by the supporting means.

The invention consists further in combination with atire supporting andheating means, and a clamping and holding device for the tire, of meansfor welding or finishing the heated ends of the tire, and means formoving the clamping and holding device to grasp the heated tire, andpresent the latter to be operated on by the finishing means.

The invention consists also in'various deand combination of parts whichwill be fully described in the specification, and the novel features ofpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of amechanism constructed in accordance with my invention, and holding meansbeing shown as grasping the heated tire. Fig. 2 is a similar viewshowing the tire held to be operated 011 by the welding or finishingmechanism. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the welding mechanism andtire-shifting-device, the clamping device being omitted.

Fig. 4 is a front face view of the same. Fig. 5 1s a horizontalsectional view on the line AB of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a vertical section onthe line C'D of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the tire-clampingand holding mechanism. Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. is asection through the same on the line E-F of Fig. Fig. 1 is asectionalview of a portion of the cylinder and piston for actuating thetire clamping jaws and the valve and pipe connections for controllingthe pressure thereto. Referring to the accompanying drawngs, whichillustrate one embodiment of my invention, the improved mechanismcomprises tire heating means X; tire clamping and holding device, Y; andtire finishing or welding mechanism Z, which latter may be operatedeither to weld the ends of the tire, or to shape up and finish a weldpreviously partially effected by the actionvof the clampmg mechanism onthe heated tire, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the present case a plurality of heating means are provided, in theform of mufiie furnaces, each comprising an upper member 1 and a lowermember 2, which members are movablerelatively to each other to permitthe tire to be easily introduced and removed. F or th' her of eachfurnace is mounted on an arm 3 fixed to a horizontal shaft 4 havingconnected with it an arm 5, from which is suspended a counterbalancingweight 6, by means of which construction the upper member may be readilyraised and lowered by hand. The heat may be furnished in any suitablemanner, as by the combustion of a mixture of air and gas, thus throwingupon the tire-ends, a blast of flame in the well known manner.

The mufile furnaces are movable; in a circular path, the lower membersbein fixed to ,arms 7 supported from a centra rotatable column 8, whichin connection with the sustained parts, constitutes a rotatablesupporting frame for the heating furnaces, the shafts at before alludedto being mounted in bearings in the corresponding supports 7 of theframe. The gas is conducted to the furnaces by suitable piping 9 foreach furnace, branching out from a central supply 1s purposethe uppermem- 1 comprise each 'Q 1 I I 1,092,478

pipe 10, the .branches being arranged and connected up so as to rotatewith the furnaces. Piping 10' is provided for the other of thecombustion mediums, the two being mixed at the furnace by nozzles 11 inthe well known manner. Cut-ofi valves are provided in the piping 9 and10', and to these are connected actuating levers 12 and 13, which'may beconveniently connected together by a rod or link 14, so that the air andgas may be cut off simultaneously.

In order that the tire may be properly supported with its, ends betweenthe two members of the furnace,

be grasped by the clampand in such a position that it may ing device, Iprovide 18 supported bybracket plates 15 on the rotating furnace frame.The frames 18 a horizontal finger 19-to support the bottom of the tire,and engaging forks 17 at opposite sides, which receive and hold the tireloosely at these points with its disconnected ends between the furnacemema number of frames bers; The furnace frame is rotated to prebeacted-on by the handles 8 connecte 1 holding the rotating sent the tiresuccessively in position to be by means of d with the rotatable frameand projectingoutwardly therefrom.

Means are provided for positioning and furnace frame so as to presentthe tires successively in position to clamping device. This meanscomprlses a latch fixed to the end of a shaft 22 and adapted to engagethe rotary frame at different points. he shaft carries an arm 21, towhich aweight 20 is attached, and which acts to hold the'latch inengagement with the rotary frame. The

latch is operated to release-the frame bv d before referred 2:2, andacting means of a pedal lever 23 fixed to the shaft. when depressedtodisengage the latch from the 'frameand release the latter, whereuponthe frame may be turned 7 to proper position to present the next tire,

pedal lever being released,

after which the the latch will automatically act to again engage andhold the rotary frame in OSItiOH. Thetire clamping .and holding evice Yto acts to bring an approximately shaped tire into the exact size andexact'circular predetermined form, and then rigidly holds it until theweld completed, Said device operates to engage the tire automaticallywhile supported by the frames 18,

and after bending or bringing the tire to form, it is shifted inposition and transfers the tire bodily to, and presents 'itto beoperated on by, the welding or finishing device. the clamping andholding device comprises a series of airs of jaws movable torand fromeach ot er and .acting to forcibly clamp. the tire between them at anumber of points, which jaws are movable in radial lines and shdablymounted upon arms 26 carried by a hub 27, conend of the same.

veniently constructed in the form of a cylinder in order to furnish thepower for opcrating the clamping jaws. -The jaws are actuated by links28 and 29 pivoted at their outer ends to the outer and inner jawsrespectively, and at their inner ends to the opposite sides of a rockingplate or head 30 pivoted to the arm 26 and provided with an inwardlyextending arm 30. The severalarms 30 have connected with them, one endof a series of horizontal links 30 whose opposite ends are fixed tobrackets 31' connected in turn to the rim 32 of a hollow piston 33mounted in the cylinder 27 before alluded to. From this description itwill be seen that the movement of the piston outwardly in the cylinder,will rock the heads 31 in the direction of the arrows in Fig. 9, whichaction will shift the links 28 and 29 in 0pposite directions relatively,and cause the jaws 24 and 25 to close together, the opposite movement ofthe piston in the cylinder causing the jaws to separate from each otherto open position. The piston is formed at its rear end with anenlargement which constitutes an annular shoulder 33" within thecylinder and presenting-a surface considerably less in area than therear end of the piston, that pressure acting against this surface willreturn the. piston after it has been advanced by the pressure acting onthe rear The actuating pressure, preferably air, is admitted to thecylinder from a suitable source by a pipe 35, in which is applied avalve 34, from the casing of which pipes are extended to the cylinder,one

at the rear of the piston and the other infront 'of the annular pressuresurface 33. The valve is of such formthat when in one position it willadmit Hressure to the rear end of the cylinder an open the pressuresurface 33" to exhaust, with the result that the piston will advance andclose the clampingaws When the jaws are tobe opened, the valve isshifted in position, its construction being such that it will then openthe rear endof the cylinder to exhaust, and admit pressure in front ofsurface 33, which will act onthe piston and return it to its formerposition in the cylinder, thereby pening the jaws.

' It will be observed that the several cocircumferenand operating jawsare arranged tially at different points. of a circle, when they close,thefmee'ting points of the jaws meet on a truecircular line with the hubas a center.

struction,

ended tire, it brings or bends or springs the same to a predeterminedfixed oint, and holds the same these. conditions in the size of the theform? In order that: the clamping and holding tires, or irregularity inAs a result of this coni when the jaws close on the open 1 25 to a true.circe. Under there can be no variation device may be shifted, totransfer the heated tire from the furnace to the welding device Z,presently to be described, the hub 27 of the clamping device is mount-edfor axial rotation in a collar 64 fixed firmly to the forward ends oftwo links 42 pivoted at their opposite ends to a cross head 43 mountedslidingly 011 a horizontal cylinder 44 fixedly sustained by a frame 56,this head being also slidingly guided on two parallel bars 49 fixed atthe opposite sides of the cylinder. The cross head has projecting fromits rear side, two parallel bars 49 connected at their rear ends by across bar 48, to which is joined the rear end of a piston rod 47,extended forwardly through the rear end of the cylinder and connectedtherein to a piston 4?. As a result of this construction the movement ofthe piston forward within the cylinder, will shift the cross head 43forwardly on the cylinder, thereby correspondingly shifting the tireclamping device to a positionto grasp the tire supported at the furnace.The opposite movement of the piston will return the clamping device toits former position, which return movement of the clamps will effect thetransfer of the heated tire to the welding device Z. In these movementsofthe parts back and forth, the links 42 pass through vertical slots inthe frame 56, and rest and travel on rollers 63 mounted in the base ofthe slots. The movements of the piston in the cylinder are in thepresent instance effected by air under pressure supplied through pipe 85connected by branch pipe 35, with a valve casing 51, from which casingpipes 52 and 53 lead respectively to opposite ends of the cylinder, thesaid casing being provided with an exhaust opening 51 A valve is mountedin the casing and contains theusual ports, adapted when the valve is inone position to admit the pressure to one side of the cylinder and openthe opposite end of the exhaust, and when ,in another. position,

to admit the pressure to the other end of the cylinder and open theopposite end of the exhaust: whereby the piston will by the movement ofthe valve be caused to travel alternately in opposite directions. Thevalve has connected with it an operating arm 51", to which the rear endof a horizon tal rod 51 is jointed, havingit-s opposite end connected toan operating lever 54. the oscillation of which will shift the valve inits casing and control the admission of pres sure, as before described.

The welding or finishing device Z is sustained by the frame 56. andcomprises as its essential features an anvil 40 and a hammer 41, thelatter adapted to be operated to deliver a series of blows on the heatedends of the tire held on the anvil by the clamping device. The relationof the clamp-shiftingmechanism to the anvil and heating furnaces is suchthat when the clamping device reaches the end of its forward stroke, itwill be in position to grasp the tire supported at the furnace, and whenretracted and at the rear limit of its movement, it will occupy suchposition with reference to the anvil and hammer that the ends of thetire will be supported over the anvil and beneath the hammer.

The hammer is driven in such manner that it will deliver positive blowsof uni form length and force. The anvil, however, is so mounted that itsrelation to the hammer may be controlled by the operator, in such mannerthat the effect of the blows delivered by the hammer may be modified orvaried. This is accomplished by providing for the vertical movement ofthe anvil, preferably by hydraulic. pressure. As shown more particularlyin Fig. 6, the anvil is pro vided with a ram or plunger 58 mounted in avertical cylinder 59, sustained by the frame 56, fluid under pressure,preferably water. being admitted to the cylinder beneath the plunger soas to support the anvil. and so that by the control of the pressure theanvil may be raised and lowered. The fluid pressure may be admitted froma suitable source of supply, by pipe 59, in which is applied a valve 60,operated by a lever 61, the form of the valve being such that thepressure admitted may be controlled to cause the an vil to rise by slowdegrees or rapidly as desired. By this means the effect or force of theblows on the tire delivered by the hammer may be nicely controlled, theforce of which blows cannot exceed the hydraulic pressure in cylinder59. In the movements of the anvil up and down, it correspondingly movesthe tire and the clamping device in which the latter is held, thismovement of the clamping device being permitted by reason of the pivotalconnection between the links 42 and cross head 43; as before described,the forward ends of the links during the vertical movements of theclamping device sliding up and down in the slots in the frame 56.

The hammer 41 is mounted to reciprocate in suitable ways in an armearried'by the machine-frame 56. A connecting rod 66 joins the hammer toa crank 67 on a shaft 68, which is driven by suitable means, such as apulley 69. Means for starting and stopping the operation of the hammerare provided, and in the present instance this is effected automaticallyby the operative connection of the hammer-operating mech: anism with theanvil. As shown in Fig. 3, a clutch 70 is provided in the hammer-dr1viug-mechanism. and consists of a clinch disk 72 rotatable with thepulley 69 which is loose on the shaft 68. A second clutch disk 71 issplined to the shaft 68, so that it may be moved into and out ofengagement with this position.

the disk 72, and by this means effect a driving connection between thepulley 69 and the shaft 68. The disk 71 is provided with a groovedcollar 72, embraced by a yoked lever 7 3 pivotally mounted on themachine frame, and carrying at its end a roller 73. A- spring 7 6 isconnected at one end of the frame, and at its other end to the lever 73,and tends to hold the lever in such position that the clutch disks willbe connected.

A cam a rm 7 7 is carried by the anvil, and is so formed and positionedthat when the anvil is in lowered position, the cam arm will engage andhold lever 73 with the clutchdisks disengaged, the elevation of theanvil causing the cam arm to release the lever 73, and permitting thespring to throw the clutch into action. In this way the operation of thehammer is automatically started when the anvil begins to rise, and isautomatically stopped when the anvil approaches the limit of itsdownward movement.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows: The open ended tires areplaced in the tire supporting frames 18, the upper members of thefurnace being elevated to admit the ends of the tire. The rotating framesupporting the furnaces and tires is then rotated and the tires aresuccessively brought to position to be grasped by the clamping device.The operator, by means of the lever 54 causes the clamping device, withits jaws opened, to advance, until the jaws are on each side of thetire. Valve 34 is then actuated to close the jaws, and the two jaws ofeach pair close down forcibly upon the tire and bring it to the exactpredetermined size and shape desired and firmly hold it in The operatornow actuates lever 54 to retract the clamping device, which as itreaches the limit of its shifting movement to the rear, will bring theheated ends of the tire over the anvil, as shown in Fig. 3. By means oftheleverfil, the anvil is caused to rise, the clutch being thrown intoaction and causing the hammer 41 to begin its operation, the continuedrise of the anvil carrying the ends of the tire into contact with thehammer to effect the weld. The lever 61 may then be moved to and fro soas to vary to great nicety the position of the tire ends with respect tothe hammer 41,

as the shaping and finishing of the weld proceeds. At the same time theclamping device may be shifted axially by the rotation of the hub 27 inthe collar 64 to change the position of the weld under the hammer. \Vhenthe weld has been completed, the anvil is lowered, which will act tostop the operation of the hammer, andthe valve 34 being operated to openthe jaws, the finished tire 'will be released and may be removed fromthe machine. In its operation the hammer strikes regular and positiveblows, and as the anvil begins its ascent, the tire lies beyond therange of movementof the ham-"- mer. When the operator actuates the'leverthe tire being governed by moving the lever backward and forward so asto cause the anvil to move up and down to a greater or less extent, andrapidly, or by slow degrees as desired. Either a lap weld or butt weldmay be effected by the mechanism described. In the case of a lap weld,the ends of the tire strip are free to slide upon each other until thetire is brought to the exact size and shape, and are then held inposition until finally finished under the hammer. Where a butt weld isto be effected, one manner of procedure is to use a strip slightlylonger than the circumference of the finished, tire, and to place thesame in the heating furnace with the ends abutting. The clamping device,in engaging the tire and in closing on the same, will act to bring it tothe required size, which will cause the heated ends to be upset andwelded intoeach other, and without the aid of the hammer, except toshape or finish the weld.

From the foregoing description it will be understood that a machine hasbeen disclosed embodying in one form, the principles of my invention. Idesire it to be understood that the invention is not limited to anyspecific form or arrangement of the parts, except in so far as suchlimitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

"1. A'mechanism of the type described including in combination, heatingmeans, means for holding the tire with its ends in position to be heatedthereby, and means for bringing the tire to true circular shape and tothe desired size while the ends are so heated.

2. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, heatingmeans, tire finishing means, means for bringing the tire to truecircular shape and to the desired size, and means for presenting thetire to the finishing means to be operated upon while it is still soheld to shape and size.

3. A mechanism of the type described inthen holding the tire firmly tosaid shape and size, and means for uniting the ends of the tire while soheld.

5. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, a seriesof tire heating means movable in an endless path, means for finishing atire joint, means for stopping each heating means successivelycontiguous to said finishing means, and means fortransferring the tirethereto from said heating means.

6. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, aplurality of tire heating means, means for finishing the tire joint, andmeans for removing a tire from each of said heating means andtransferring it into operative relation with said finishing means.

7 A mechanism of the type described including in combination means forfinishing the tire joint, a series of tire heating means movablesuccessively into position contiguous to said tire-joint finishingmeans, and means for transferring a tire from the contiguous heatingmeans into'operative relation with the finishing means.

8. A mechanism of the type described including in combination heatingmeans, tire finishing means, 'means for holding a tire blank to truecircular shape and to the desired size, and means for shifting the tirewhile held by said holding means and while being operated upon by saidfinishingnieans.

9. A-mechanism of the type described including in combination, heatingmeans, means for holding a-tire with its ends in position to be heatedthereby, means for finishing the tire joint, and means for transferringthe tire from the heating means to the finishing means, and for firmlyholding it while being operated upon by the finishing means.

10. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, aplurality of tire heating means, means for finishing the tire joint,means for removing a tire from each of said heating means in successionand transferring it to said finishing means, and means for controllingthe action of the finishing means upon the tire. n

11. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, meansfor holding a tire strip to true circular shape and size, heating means,finishing means, and means for causing relative movement of said means,to permitthe tire to be operated on by the heating means and finishingmeans in succession while held by said holding means.

12. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, aplurality of devices for engagingan approximately shaped tire atdifl'erent and separated points and movable radially to bring the tireto proper predetermined size and shape.

13. A mechanism of the type described invices tor engaging a shaped tireat different and separated points and movable radially to bring the tireto proper size and shape, and for firmly holding it in position, andmeans for fastening the ends of the tire together while it is so held.

14. In a mechanism of the type described,

the combination of a series of clamping devices movable radially toengage the tire stripat a plurality of separated points on the insideand outside about its circumference and operating to bring it to propersize and shape, and power means under the control of an operator forshifting said series of devices while holdin the tire.

15. A mechanism of t ie type described includin in combination, meansfor heating the ends power-actuated means movable between the heatingmeans and finishing means to transfer the tires from the heating to thefinishing means.

16. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, meansfor heating the ends of the tire, means for engaging the tire andconveying it y from the heating .means, and means for holding the tirein position to be heated by the heating means and to be engaged by saidengaging and conveying means. a

17. A mechanism of the type described in cludin in combination, meansfor heating the ends of the tire, conveying means for the tire, andmeans for holdingthe tire with the ends in position to be heated by theheating means and to be'engaged by said conveying means. I

18. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, meansfor holding an approximately shaped tire, means for engaging the tirewhile so held and bringing it into true circular form and holding itfirml in such form, means for heating the tire oint, and means forfinishing the tire om J 19. A mechanism of the type described includingin combination, heating means, joint finishing means, means for holdingthe approximately formed tire with its disconnected ends in position tobe heated, means for bringing the tire to shape and size and holding itso, and means for transferring the tire while so held to the jointfinishing means.

20. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, a tirefinishing device comprising two members relatively movable with respectto each other to finish the tire joint, and means for firmly holding thetire to shape and size, said holding means being movable with one of themembers of the tire finishin device.

21. A mechanism of tfie type described including in combination, heatingmeans, joint of a tire, tire finishing means, and

eluding in combination, a plurality of de A tire,

clamp will come within,

finishing means comprising two members, one of said members beingmovable to and from the other, means for firmly holdin the means fortransferring the tire rom the heating means to the joint finishingmeans, said holding means being movable with said movable member of thejoint finishing means. L

22. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, tireholding means comprising a series of circumferentially arranged clampscomprising each two jaws movable toward each other to a clampingposition at the circumference of a common circle with the other jaws ofthe series, means for so moving the jaws, and a holder for holding anapproximately shaped tire strip in such position that one jaw of eachand the other jaw without the tire strip, and means for caus ingrelative movement between the forming means and the holder.

23. A mechanism of the type described including in combination, heatingmeans, a holder to hold the tire with its ends in operative relationwith the heating means, means for finishing the tire joint, and a seriesof radially acting clamps for engaging the tire on the inside and on theoutside at a plurality of points, and means for moving the clamps intooperative relation with' said. finishing means.

24. A mechanism of the type describedjneluding in combination, heatingmeans, a holder to hold the tire with its ends in operative'relationwith the'heating-means, means for finishing the. tire joint, and aseries of radially acting clamps for engaging-the tire on the inside andon rality of points, means for':-n1ov1ng the clamps into operativerelation with said finishing means, the the tire firmly while beingoperated on by the finishing means.

25. In a mechanism of the type described,

the combination with means for heating the ends of the tire blank, ofmechanism adapted to grasp the heated tire and acting to bring the sameto true circular predetermined form. a

26. In amechanism of thetype described, the combination with means forheating the ends of the tire blank of' a welding device,

a clamping mechanism acting to grasp the heated tire and shape it topredetermined form and size, and means for shifting the clampingmechanism to transfer the tire to the welding device.

In testimonywhereof I hereunto set my hand this 3rd of June, 1909, inthepresence of two attesting witnesses.

EMIL EINFELDT.

Witnesses ANDREW NnmsoN, LEON ZOECKLER.

said clamps acting to hold the outside a plu-

